Chapter Text
Naruto raced excitedly through the forest, going as fast as his paws would let him. The air was warm but he had a good cool breeze that ruffled his fur with every bush and branch he passed by. His hurry was mainly out of excitement of seeing his best friend Sasuke but also at the fun agenda he had planned out for the both of them. It wasn’t very often his poor friend got to leave out the house, but he always seemed to manage if Naruto got involved in it. There was so much the raven didn’t know or hadn’t experience about the modern world since he was so cooped up, but Naruto was determined to show him as much of it as he could.
The thick forest started to thin only a bit but the scent of it suddenly changed drastically. Naruto’s heart was still beating fast from the long run he had just accomplished when he stopped at a certain corner of the woods to spy into an old large mansion that sat in the middle of a clearing. He didn’t dare to enter the territory any further; he was already far enough in to be in violation of the treaty. But he figured he could slide by on this, he was coming to pick up his friend after.
He tried to sharpen his eyesight to peer in through the windows, for any hope of spotting his spiky haired friend. Some of the window's drapes were open but the outdoor light failed to illuminate the house well enough to make out much inside. He quickly gave up and sighed. While beautiful, from afar you would think it was abandoned. This was the famous home for one of the most powerful vampire clans in the region, formally known as the Uchiha residency. Naruto believed they didn’t know how to use electricity; he really wished they would.
Naruto didn’t hesitate when he let a low gurgle-like howl slip through his maw. He honestly didn’t like attracting the attention of the other Uchiha that may reside in the household but he didn’t have any other way to contact Sasuke. Sasuke was sheltered heavily by his family and he knew that the times that he came, and managed or didn’t manage to coax the boy to leave out his house and play with him, that it was incredibly likely his family had a watchful eye on him all throughout the process. Sasuke and him never talked about it, but Naruto knows that vampires have excellent hearing.
The prickling feeling on Naruto’s skin made him know he was likely being watched this very moment.
oOoOoOo
Sasuke was laying next to his brother on the old family couch, bored out of his mind. The windows let in pools of natural light that illuminated Sasuke’s stretched form and his brothers hunched figure. The sunlight didn’t bother them of course, the age of burning in sunlight being ejected from vampire genes over time. Itachi was engrossed in a lecture written in some archaic language and Sasuke was waiting impatiently for him to finish.
“How much longer?”, he groaned, kicking his sore legs softly over the arm of the couch.
“I will be finished in due time. Some good things in life you cannot rush, Sasuke.” A page turned.
Gritting his teeth, Sasuke barely managed to hold in a retort he wanted to snap at his always cryptic brother. He asked a question, why could he reply with an actual time frame like a normal person would?
“And I’m not a normal person, remember Sasuke? We’re vampires.”
“Stop trying to pretend like you can read minds! It’s not possible! …how did you know I was thinking that?”
Itachi graced him by lifting his eyes from his book for a second with a small smile on his lips, “It’s the usual response you like to give me, otouto.”
Sasuke let out a sound of frustration and let his head flop in between the space created by the back of the couch and the slant of his brother’s back. All he wanted was for Itachi to teach him some jutsu. The Uchiha’s have many techniques of transforming energy into powerful weapons. A truly great vampire should be skilled in the arts of energy manipulation. Ranging from messing with the elements or possessing certain creatures, the greatest strength of a vampire not only mattered on its physical form but the capacity of its mental state too.
That’s a partial reason why his old old uncle Madara eventually bit the dust, his mental state was corrupted and he went completely batty. His brother, though, was very skilled in the arts of energy manipulation and Sasuke would beg and beg every time his brother came home from his journeys to show him how to do them.
It was always the same thing and the same excuses; you’re not ready Sasuke, it’s too risky Sasuke, there’s no need to worry about dangers, we’ll protect you Sasuke. He mainly only got to observe from the clearing or when he spied him through his window. Itachi was amazing. He wanted to be like him. But it seemed his brother, plus his mom and dad, never wanted him to advance further. They didn’t want him to lead the repressive life as a true monster but Sasuke was starting to desire it.
“Itachi, can you please try to show me some tricks? Promise I won’t tell mom and dad.” No reaction. Sasuke sat up and peered over Itachi’s shoulders. “Can you teach me how to summon crows? Like you can?”
Itachi sighed, “Sasuke, you’re too young to even begin mastering techniques like that. Your body won’t be able to take it.”
“Yes it can!” Sasuke glared at his brother, “I’m not some tiny little kid anymore, I can handle it.”
That caused Itachi to spare him another glance from his reading to give him a once over. It was true. It seemed that for the longest time his perfect little brother had always been in a constant state of adorable, cherub cuteness. But the once chubby little legs had lengthened into thinner pale limbs and the once round cute face had changed to one that wasn’t quite as soft. In Itachi’s eyes, his little brother will always be his sweet little brother, but he also couldn’t help but notice the sudden quickened paced growth of Sasuke’s body. It all started around the time he began hanging around the werewolf.
He frowned just a bit, looking Sasuke in the eye, “Yes… I suppose you’re not.”
Sasuke wasn’t sure what the sad look that passed on his brother’s face was about so he rolled his eyes, thinking Itachi was only being dramatic again. He opened his mouth, about to urge his brother on about some training he wanted to do when the unmistakable howl of a wolf cut through the air.
Their heads simultaneously turned to a window where the sound was strongest. Looking through, they could see a glimmer of golden fur peeking briefly through the trees at the mouth of the clearing. A grin immediately appeared on Sasuke’s face and he jumped off the couch, jogging his way to the front door.
“What happened to wanting to practice? You’re going to kick me to the curb, as they say?” he brother inquired, lifting a brow. Sasuke actually managed to look a bit sheepish. “Something’s come up I guess. Plus, you weren’t going to show me anything anyways.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I know you.” Sasuke looked at the grand staircase that leads to the second floor; the level his parents mainly stayed on. “Don’t tell them I left. Can you cover for me?”
“I’m sure they are already well aware you are planning to leave, and if they didn’t want you to they’d be down here to stop you.”
Itachi followed his little brother to the door and stepped out behind him when he passed the threshold. Bringing his hand to his forehead to deflect the sun from his vision, he squinted carefully in the direction of the wolf. He frowned when he saw it go into a pouncing position out of excitement when he caught sight of Sasuke, tail wagging vigorously. “What exactly is the name of your little friend again? Nakajima? Makuru?”
“It’s Naruto. You don’t have to watch me! Go back inside.” Sasuke urged, pushing his brother back into the house. Itachi chuckled at the embarrassed reaction but didn’t follow the request. In fact, he decided to do the exact opposite. “Naruto!” He called out, not raising his voice too much because he knew, or rather he hoped, that the werewolf was capable of good hearing as well. “Come over here, I would like to have a chat with you.” The wolf paused, raising back up and hesitantly stepped into the clearing. Sasuke was mortified, throwing a fit and hissing threats into his brother’s ears. Itachi paid him no mind.
The large lanky werewolf soon approached before them; long nails from large paws passing over the windflowers and golden ears twitching, not quite too sure if they should stand up with caution or lay back with unease. When he was about 5 feet away from Itachi, he saw the werewolf shift, turning into a blond haired kid with blue eyes, three whisker marks on each cheek, and a half smile. If Itachi had to take a guess, the boy was likely just entering his teens. He was about an inch taller than Sasuke but measuring up their looks, they appeared to be the same age anyway. “Hey I’m Naruto! Sasuke’s friend.” As if to prove it, he threw an arm over the shoulders of his embarrassed brother.
“You must be Itachi! Sasuke talks about you all the time, like how cool you are, how strong you are, how good at-” A hand from his otouto shot up and covered the mouth of the chatty blond. Itachi actually felt somewhat pleased that he wasn’t the only one to receive the sharp glare from him today.
“Pleased to meet you, Naruto.” He extended his hand, observing the look of surprise that crossed the blond’s face when he went to shake his painted fingers. “I trust that you are going to look out for my little brother in… whatever escapades you have planned for the day.”
“Of-of course! I always take good care looking after Sasu-argh! Hey!” Naruto whined at the sharp elbow Sasuke jabbed in his side.
Glaring back at his older brother, “Cut it out Itachi. You’re making Naruto nervous.”
“Am I… making you nervous Naruto?” Itachi took a small step forward, secretly pleased again when he saw a large swallow hit the boy’s throat and the blond's vigorous denial of the statement with a shake of his head, inadvertently relaying the opposite. Good, he should be nervous.
“It’s really good to meet you! I never come any closer because, well you know the territory line. Werewolves are not supposed to cross over this far.”
“Hmm, well, I suppose it’s alright because you’re still young and you are one of my precious little brother’s friends.” Itachi blinked slowly, looking the blue eyed boy in the eye. “Therefore, I expect you from now on to receive my little brother from the door like a proper gentleman and not try to lure him away into the forest like he’s Little Red Ridding Sasuke. Do you understand?”
“Yes sir! Itachi sir!” Naruto let out a weak involuntary laugh, likely out of nerves, but returned the squeeze of the handshake. Itachi smiled, “Perfect. Enjoy your day.” He returned into the shade of the house and a very pink face Sasuke practically pulled Naruto across the clearing to get as far away from his family home as possible.
“Wow, your brother is really protective of you, huh Sasuke.” Naruto chuckled, letting the other boy drag him back into the forest.
“Ugh, shut it.” Sasuke let go and put his face in his hands to calm down a bit. “I don’t know why he was breathing down your neck like that. I’m not a baby but my whole family insists on treating me like one.”
“Hey, hey,” Naruto grabbed his hands, bringing them down from his face and smiled at the pout that he knew Sasuke would never admit was sitting on his lips. “I think it’s pretty cool they’re protective of you. That just means they really care about you! Haha most of the time my mom is the one chasing me out the house, but that’s because I’m really messy.”
The bright smile of Naruto always seemed to work magic on Sasuke, just seeing his happy face filled him with a sense of exhilaration and acceptance
“Hn, I guess so.” He looked down at their held hands. “So where exactly are we going today?”
“Oh, it’s a surprise!” A mischievous grin passed his lips, “It’s in Konoha. You’re going to love this Sasuke.” He changed himself back into a wolf and got ready to bolt, “Race you to the city!”
The werewolf ran quickly but Sasuke chased not too far behind, finally letting another smile brush his lips. What he loved about Naruto the most was the way he made him feel. Naruto didn’t treat him like a delicate flower, didn’t talk words around him and never pulled one in a wolf-on-vampire wrestling match. Naruto made him feel like his equal, despite their difference in race. He felt like he could really be his true self when they were around each other and Sasuke could feel the pressure and stifling borders of the Uchiha mansion fly away. And even though vampires don’t have heartbeats, Sasuke’s never felt more alive.